Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 for PS5 is finally here and it’s packed with easter eggs and secrets.
Marvel’s Spider-Man for PS4 and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales both took place within a larger superhero world where other heroes such as Captain America or Black Panther exist.
That means everyone who played those games most likely came across the Avengers Tower when swinging through the New York City skyline, or spotted the Sanctum Sanctorum on their way to complete a mission. So now that Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 for the PS5 is finally out, one thing is for certain: Insomniac packed the game with even more secrets for players to find.
Some of the easter eggs we’re about to discuss are tied to story missions or side activities. However, we’ll make sure to add a big warning sign before talking about the secrets that could be considered spoilers and separate them on a different page. So let’s kick things off with some lighter easter eggs that won’t ruin your experience in case you haven’t finished the game yet.
The Baxter Building
The Baxter building was noticeably absent from Marvel’s Spider-Man for PS4 and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. However, it appears Marvel’s first family was just looking for the perfect building to turn into their home base, and they finally did so in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
If players go to the upper-east corner of Hell’s Kitchen, they will be able to spot a building in which the Fantastic Four logo is being painted on top of a landing pad. Not only does that mean that Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Thing, and the Human Torch exist in Insomniac’s universe, but also that they completely failed to help Spidey in his fight against Kraven.
One day another hero will help you, Spidey. One day.
Union Allied Construction
In Daredevil’s Netflix series, we see how Wilson Fisk creates a company called Union Allied to rebuild Hell’s Kitchen after the battle of New York. However, even if the MCU takes place in a different universe than that of Insomniac’s Spider-Man, it appears that every iteration of the Kingpin thinks alike.
Union Allied Construction banners can be seen across New York City in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, reminding players that even though Wilson Fisk is behind bars, his power is never truly gone.
Superior Spider-Man
At Aunt May’s home, there are several books placed on top of the chimney. One of these reads “The Superior Powers: A Geopolitical Analysis of Superheroics” and it has the word “Superior” highlighted in red. This could be a nod to Superior Spider-Man, a version of the wall-crawler that changed minds with Doctor Octavius, giving the supervillain control of Peter’s body and powers.
Even if it’s a cool little easter egg, it’s not the only reference to Superior Spider-Man we see in the game… but more on that later.
Amazing Fantasy #15
In Peter’s former room, we see a picture of Spider-Man that reads “Amazing new hero? Or violent vigilante?”. This image is an exact recreation of the cover of Amazing Fantasy #15, the comic book in which the wall-crawler made his debut. It’s little details like this that let us know that Insomniac Games is really passionate about our friendly neighborhood hero.
Captain America’s Frisbee
At one point in the game, Peter is tasked with taking pictures that display how New Yorkers live their day-to-day lives. Not only is this mission a fun way to take time off from all of the superhero-ing, but it also features a cool easter egg.
One of the pictures shows two people playing with a Captain America frisbee, further establishing the idea that The Avengers are part of Insomniac’s game universe. Now just one question remains: Where are they and why do they fail to stop all the tragedies that occur in New York?
A.I.M
Another book present in multiple parts of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 reads “Advanced Combat Mechanics”. This could be a reference to Advanced Idea Mechanics (or A.I.M, for short), a criminal organization in Marvel Comics, and the antagonistic company in the MCU’s Iron Man 3. If they truly are out there in Insomniac’s world, working on mischievous plans, then no one is safe.
Spider-Bots
Scattered through New York City there are forty-two Spider-Bots that players can collect, and every single one of them references a Spider-Man character that appears either in comic books or movies. We won’t be showing any of them here aside from the Peni Parker bot, but keep an eye out for them whenever you swing across the city. If you collect them all, something cool might happen.
Madripoor, Trask, and the X-Men
At one point in the game, Peter finds a file detailing the life of Dr. Farley Stillwell, the scientist who turned Mac Gargan into the Scorpion. In it, several notes describe his achievements and important life events. However, one of the most interesting notes reads as follows:
“Temp. relocation to Madripoor. Continued experimentation in Lowtown District. Further investigation = no relation w/ Trask. Unwanted attention from local gangs = return to NYC?”
Madripoor is an island in the Marvel Universe that appeared in the Falcon and the Winter Soldier series, but it’s most commonly associated with X-Men stories and comic books. That’s why the mention of “Trask” is also important, as it could be talking about Bolivar Trask, the owner of Trask Industries and the man responsible for the creation of the Sentinels.
Let’s not forget that Insomniac is working on a Wolverine Game that could very well take place in Madripoor, making this easter egg all the more exciting for the future of Marvel Games.
Spider-Meme
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2‘s map is filled with random crimes that, believe me, will be occurring every 30 seconds or so. However, something cool that might happen in those encounters is that both Peter and Miles will team up to defeat the bad guys. An A.I. will take over the Spider-Man that you’re not playing as, and it will aid you in completing the activity.
After you’ve defeated all of the criminals terrorizing the streets of New York, you can interact with the other Spider-Man and there’s a small chance that both heroes will recreate the Spider-Man pointing meme. Talk about a classy easter egg.
Daredevil is Spidey’s friend?
After completing a mission (that we won’t mention so as to not spoil any surprises), Peter delivers the line: “I could ask some lawyer friends with visitation rights“. Even if that dialog itself isn’t very specific, Spidey could be very well talking about Matt Murdock. Let’s not forget that players could find a Nelson and Murdock sign in both Marvel’s Spider-Man for PS4 and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
Interestingly enough, that sign is nowhere to be seen in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, indicating the law firm could’ve been relocated elsewhere or is temporarily closed. However, if we know Daredevil exists in Insomniac’s Game universe and Peter Parker mentions he has lawyer friends, you can’t blame us for believing those two are connected.
Hank-Pym gave Peter a diploma
Back in Marvel’s Spider-Man for PS4, players spotted a diploma given to Norman Osborn that was signed by none other than Henry Pym. In a similar fashion, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 features a diploma hanging in Peter’s room that was given to the super-powered teenager as well. The big difference this time around is that the diploma is signed by Hank Pym, who is better known as the original Ant-Man in the Marvel Universe.
Man-Spider and Wakanda are mentioned
During one of the side-missions in the game, Peter cracks one of his famous quips by saying: “What’s my prophecy? Grow 4 arms and become a giant man spider?”. Aside from being a funny joke that relieves some tension at the moment, it also references Man-Spider, a version of the wall-crawler that has 6 arms and… well, looks like a (terrifying) mix between a physical spider and a man.
As if it wasn’t enough, Wakanda is also mentioned by name. During one story mission, Peter spots a pair of elephant tusks and he mentions they were brought directly from Wakanda, the home of the Black Panther. Even if we already knew Wakanda was part of Insomniac’s game universe, it was nice to hear it being named-dropped for the first time in the series.
Returning easter eggs
Let’s wrap all of the non-spoiler secrets up by talking about all of the returning easter eggs from previous games. The Sanctum Sanctorum, the Avengers Tower, and the Wakanda Embassy are all present once again on Marvel’s Spider-Man 2‘s map. So does that mean that Doctor Strange, Iron Man, or Black Panther make an appearance? Well, you can find out in the next section of the article but be warned: There will be minor spoilers from this point onwards.
Even if we won’t be dealing with anything related to the game’s main story (yet), we will talk about unlockable suits and important information on some side quests. So if you want to discover everything the game’s side content has to offer yourself, it’s best to look away now.
MINOR SPOILER TO FOLLOW FOR THE FOLLOWING EASTER EGGS
As we mentioned earlier, this page will deal with easter eggs that are tied to the suits and sidequests present in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 so there will be minor spoilers to follow.
Still here? Great! Let’s dive into more of the game’s secrets then.
Prophecies of Carnage
During the Crimson Hour side quest, we follow Peter as he’s trying to stop a cult that prophecies the arrival of the “Crimson Hour”. In one of the missions, players are able to explore one of the cult’s hideouts containing a book that shows said prophecy coming to life… and it’s terrifying.
Carnage itself doesn’t make an appearance in the game (even if Cletus Kasady does). However, this easter egg might be our best look yet at what the unhinged supervillain may look like in future entries in Insomniac’s Spider-Man saga.
Spider-Verse easter egg
Remember about the Spider-Bots we discussed earlier? Well, if you’re able to collect them all, you’ll be treated to an amazing cut scene that ties directly into the Spider-Verse movies. Not only is Miguel O’Hara name-dropped, but the game also perfectly recreates the animation style that the films are known for.
This is, by far, one of the coolest videogame easter eggs ever.
Black Panther, Wolverine, and Superior Spider-Man suits
Insomniac added a Black Panther and a Wolverine suit for Miles Morales to wear in-game. Neither superhero appears during Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 as a separate character (unfortunately), but these suits are a really great way to pay them homage.
Besides, a Superior Spider-Man suit was also added for Peter to wear. Even if Doctor Octopus hasn’t yet transferred his mind to Peter’s body in the game, it’s a cool nod to one of the most unique takes on the wall-crawler ever.
Now, before we continue with the last easter eggs found in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, we have to drop a big warning here. All of the secrets that are to follow deal directly with the game’s main story, and they could be considered major spoilers. If you haven’t finished the game yet, we recommend you come back to this article after you do so.
MAJOR SPOILERS TO FOLLOW FOR THE FOLLOWING EASTER EGGS
This is your last chance to turn back before we dive into major spoilers for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. However, if you already completed the game (or if you don’t care about being spoiled), let’s get going!
Wong (sort of) makes an appearance
As we mentioned before, the Sanctum Sanctorum made an appearance in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. But even if we never get to see the master of mystic arts himself, that didn’t stop Insomniac from delivering a little easter egg featuring Wong.
During one of the game’s main missions, Black Cat steals a mystic device from the Sanctum Sanctorum, allowing her to open portals to anywhere in the world. After Felicia escapes, and Miles gets ahold of the device, but before being able to use it we see how it gets transported back to its home and, instead, a note appears with the following text: “Sorry, just got back from Nepal. The Doctor and I owe you one”.
The best part is that the note is signed by Wong, Doctor Strange’s right hand and closest friend. This easter egg is truly magical, don’t you think?
Agent Venom makes an appearance
In comic books and cartoons, Flash Thompson wears the symbiote to turn himself into Agent Venom, an anti-hero who even went as far as joining The Guardians of the Galaxy. However, even if Peter’s former bully didn’t make an appearance in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, that didn’t stop Agent Venom from doing so.
When Harry wears the symbiote in the first missions of the game, he acts as Spider-Man’s ally by helping take many of the hunters down. The name “Agent Venom” may never be explicitly dropped, but the suit design was the one to say it all.
Knull is everywhere
All throughout the events of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, players will be able to spot a red spiral symbol that appears multiple times during the main story and even some sidequests. Even if that logo may not seem like it has significant importance, it references Knull, a god who was responsible for creating the symbiotes.
Knull is never named-dropped in the game, but Insomniac seems to imply he indeed exists in their videogame universe. So next time you are playing Marvel’s Spider-Man and look at the sky, remember that Knull is somewhere out there planning his next move.
The G-Serum
After players finish the game’s main story, they’ll be treated to a scene where Norman Osborn asks for the “G-Serum” to be used on his son in order to try and save him. That is a clear reference to the Goblin Serum, the substance responsible for turning Norman mad and creating the Green Goblin in the process. It appears Insomniac is planning to make Carnage and the Green Goblin the main antagonists of their next Spider-Man game, and we can’t wait to see how that unfolds.
Winged Venom
When you think about Venom, you don’t usually picture him as someone who has wings. However, the game’s final battle does give Spidey’s dark opposite that unique feature. Does that mark the first time the symbiotic villain is able to fly? Well, not at all. There’s precedence for that in numerous comic books.
When the symbiote came across Knull in the 2018 run of Venom, it was able to develop the new power of (you guessed it) flight. A similar event occurs in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. When Harry gets ahold of the meteorite that was carrying the symbiote (which has the Knull symbol on it), he is able to grow wings and fight Spider-Man in the air.
That’s a clear reference to Knull once again. Even if players never get to see him, his powers are felt through Insomniac’s latest Spider-Man game.
Silk is coming
Let’s wrap things up by talking about the imminent introduction of Silk, a Marvel hero who was bitten by the same radioactive spider that bit Peter Parker.
During the game’s post-credits scene, we finally find out who Miles’ mom is dating, and it’s none other than Cindy Moon’s father. Players never get to see Cindy’s face, but her name (along with her attire) makes it clear that it’s none other than the super-powered teenage hero. We’ll have to wait and see if she becomes a playable character in the next Spider-Man game (or maybe if she even has a game of her own). One thing is certain though: we can’t wait to see her in full action mode.
Those are all of the easter eggs we were able to find in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2! Did we miss some? Let us know on our social media pages! And stick around Bam! Smack! Pow! for everything Spider-Man-related.